Photo By Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor | Maj. Gen. David Hodne, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort...... read more read more
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FORT CARSON, Colo. – Utah National Guard units assigned to the 204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade joined the 4th Infantry Division for a warfighter exercise and were tested in their areas of expertise to see how they function as a forward-deployed command headquarters, Sept. 23 - Oct. 2, 2022, at Fort Carson, Colorado.
“The 204th ME Bde mission is to deploy and execute responsive Combat Service Support and Combat Health Support in support of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division's objectives,” said Col. Woodrow Miner, commander, 204th ME Bde. “We’ve helped secure their area, protecting their resources in order to maintain their ability to move around on the battlefield as they need.”
According to Miner, training events like warfighters are an essential breath of fresh air for National Guard units.
“Warfighters stress communication,” Miner said. “It’s valuable for us to understand how to communicate with higher and lower entities and make sure our battalions are tracking what we want them to do. For us in Utah, we don't have a division headquarters – we have a state. To come and exercise with the 4th Infantry Division and work with a division staff is very beneficial training we typically don't get.”
Alongside the general training, the warfighter exercise assisted both active duty and National Guard components in understanding each other's capabilities.
“Active duty units and National Guard units have varying capabilities, although one thing I have found pretty synonymous throughout both components is that we're always ready to deploy,” said Sfc. Scott Moxon, the S2 noncommissioned officer in charge of the 204th ME Bde. “We spend the time effectively training our Soldiers and giving them the equipment they need to be able to succeed in the mission.”
Readiness is an infectious mindset the Ivy Division and the 204th ME Bde strive for in all their missions.
“We go to warfighters ready for any demands placed on my staff, and we have excellent leadership that makes sure our Soldiers are taken care of and provided for so the mission doesn't fail,’’ said Moxon.
Although big training events like these are important for divisions and brigades to maintain readiness and deployability, it is sometimes hard for Soldiers at a lower level to understand the importance of their role.
Moxon mentioned that the Army doesn't put people in harm's way and employs Soldiers for no reason. Every person, from the Soldier working in defense to the Soldier planning battle attacks, is essential because if there is a single point of failure, the fight can't be fought. If there are Soldiers who don't have food, or Soldiers who have low morale because there is no effective mental health counseling while we're in these deployed areas, the mission will not be accomplished.
This warfighter challenged the readiness, expertise and academic rigor of the Ivy Division and attributing units alike in order to accomplish the mission and to prove our Soldiers’ ability to deploy, fight and win.
“Our biggest strength is really our Soldiers,” Miner said. “A lot of times, we’ll lean on our Soldiers for the skill sets they employ in the civilian world that we can benefit from when we deploy.”
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| Date Taken: | 10.03.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2022 16:22 |
| Story ID: | 430648 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 175 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Warfighter -- Always ready to deploy, by SPC Joshua Zayas-Sabogal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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